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“It probably has something to do with the guy being a self-absorbed prick.”
“You’re right.” If only it hadn’t taken me so long to figure it out. I could have saved myself a lot of grief. “Thanks for shutting Aiden down.”
He shrugs. “It was my pleasure. Us scholarship kids gotta stick together, right?”
“Yeah.” When the nape of my neck prickles, I spear another reluctant glance in Jasper’s direction, only to find him watching me with narrowed eyes. I know that look all too well. I also understand what it means. My voice drops. “You don’t have to sit here. The last thing I want to do is involve you in this mess.”
He reaches into his brown paper bag and pulls out a sandwich. “You didn’t involve me. I involved myself.”
“It’s not that I don’t appreciate—”
“If anyone has a problem with it, they can talk to me.” He takes a huge bite of the bread, meat, and cheese before chewing methodically and swallowing. “Got it?”
I could argue, but I realize it won’t do a damn bit of good. Duke is stubborn to a fault.
“Thank you.” I give him a slight smile filled with gratitude.
“There’s no reason to thank me.” He points to my untouched lunch. “Now eat.”
Even though I can’t bear the thought, I stick my hand inside the brown paper bag and pull out a fruit snack.
He stares at it with a frown. “Is that all you got in there?”
“No.”
“Then show me. A fucking fruit snack isn’t enough to fuel you for the rest of the afternoon.”
Spoken like a true athlete.
When Duke stares expectantly, I roll my eyes and pull out the small bag of pretzels. “You’re kind of bossy, you know that?”
He snorts and stares at the baggie. “You’re seriously killing me here. How does your mom let you walk out the door with that garbage?”
“My mother considers me an adult who can pack her own lunch.”
“Clearly you’ve proven her wrong.”
I reach into the paper sack again and pull out the sandwich before flattening the bag and setting it on top. “Happy?”
His expression never falters. “Ecstatic.”
“Great.”
He points to the food. “Now eat.”
We engage in a silent stare-down before I huff out an exasperated breath and remove the sandwich from its plastic wrapper before lifting it to my lips and taking a nibble.
Unlike me, Duke demolishes his in less than two minutes.
It’s almost impressive.
As I lower it to the table, he shakes his head. “You need to finish. Don’t you dare give that prick the satisfaction of seeing how much he’s upset you.”
“My lack of appetite has nothing to do with him,” I mumble, gaze dropping to the table. “I’m just not hungry.”
“Bullshit. Now eat.”
My wide gaze snaps to his. “Duke—”
